


That's Life

by charlymo



Series: Things that go boom in the night... [3]
Category: Arrow (TV 2012)
Genre: Multi
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-07-04
Updated: 2015-08-28
Packaged: 2018-04-07 14:06:38
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 4,471
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4266081
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/charlymo/pseuds/charlymo
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>A third installment on Oliver and Felicity's life.  I decided to write one shots of things that happen in their lives from everyday occurrences to life altering decisions.  I plan on putting them in some semblance of order, some will be short and others might be long depending on the topic.</p><p>This is the third part of the series starting with Things that go boom in the night.  The second part is When everyone finds out.  You don't have to read those in order to understand this but there might be some background that you don't catch.</p><p>I hope you enjoy and if you have any suggestions, please send them my way!</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Toothbrushes

The first time she noticed him smiling as he came out of the bathroom was a couple of weeks after she'd returned from Central City. They were in the loft and she was checking on Ray and Laurel's patrolling on her tablet when Oliver came out of the bathroom smiling a smile she hadn't seen before.

"Oliver?"

"Hmmmmm?" He answered as he walked to the bed.

"What's that smile for?" She asked as she put her tablet on the bedside table.

"I'm happy." He answered as he slid into bed.

And with that, he proceeded to show her how happy he was.

 

The second time she noticed was when he was coming out of her bathroom as they got ready one morning. She was standing at the dresser putting on her earrings when she saw that smile again. She was about to ask about it but the doorbell rang announcing Digg was there to pick them up.

 

The third time she saw it, they were back at the loft and they were getting ready to go to Verdant. Thea had redone the place and it was opening night and everyone from Team Arrow was going to show support.

"Oliver," She smirked as he walked out of the bathroom smiling, "I like that grin."

"Really Miss Smoak?"

"Yep, I don't know what it's for but I like it." She leaned up to kiss him and before she could ask, Roy was yelling at them from downstairs to hurry up.

 

The fourth time was about a month later when they were in Central City to help Barry with a meta human. They were getting ready at the hotel before heading to the restaurant to meet up with Barry, Iris, Caitlin, and Ronnie when she saw it again.

"Okay, I will not be distracted this time!" She announced as Oliver turned at her outburst, "Oliver why is it that you have that dopey grin on your face when you exit a bathroom?"

"What dopey grin?" He asked with said dopey grin on his face.

She pointed to his face saying, "That one."

"I'm just happy."

"I understand that and I'm happy that you're happy but you only have that grin when you leave the bathroom. It's a mystery and you know I hate mysteries."

"Really?"

"Yes, really and you're just delaying the inevitable, you know I'm going to find out so just tell me."

Oliver looked at her for a minute and then dropped his head, "You'll think it's silly." He whispered, suddenly serious.

She framed his face in her hands, bringing his eyes back to hers, "I won't think it's silly. I love that smile and I'm curious as to what puts it there."

He blew out a breath and said it so low she barely heard him, "Our toothbrushes."

"Our toothbrushes?" She repeated questioningly.

"Yes," He said slightly louder, "you know my past and to be honest there are a few things I regret and one of them is that I don't have a lot of firsts with you. But when you got back from helping Barry and came to the loft with me, I noticed that your toothbrush was next to mine the next morning and it hit me that that's never happened before. At the mansion, I had my own bathroom, in college, or in my case colleges, you don't leave your toothbrush lying around and at the loft, I again have my own bathroom. I've never had my toothbrush and someone else's toothbrush together, so it's a first and I am really happy about it."

He watched her face change and tears pooled in her eyes, "That has to be the sweetest thing I've ever heard." She brought his face down and kissed him and he grabbed her hips, pulling her closer. He pulled away with a groan when he heard knocking on the door. He started laughing when he heard Barry say, "Guys, you have twenty minutes to get to the restaurant! Iris told me to tell you not to be late!"

He rested his forehead against hers, "Are we late all the time?"

"I was never late until I started dating you," She wiggled her eyebrows suggestively, "you distract me on occasion." She walked from his embrace and grabbed her clutch from the small table. "You know, I have a little confession to make."

"What's that?" He asks as they walk towards the door.

"I have to admit that I've had similar thoughts?"

"Really? You thought about firsts with me?"

"No, actually lasts."

She did it on purpose because she loves when his face contorts in confusion, scrunched up brow and quizzical eyes landed on her and she continued, "Well, you're the last man I will ever hold hands with, the last man I will ever kiss, the last man I will ever make love to and the last man I will ever love."

A look of pure joy crossed Oliver's face at her words and they were only thirty minutes late for dinner.


	2. Telephone calls

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Felicity's clueless as to why Oliver is upset

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I have no idea where this came from but I kind of like where the muse took me.

Felicity kept noticing how tense Oliver was for the past two weeks. He would try and hide it but she knew him well enough at this point to know when he was stressed. She had no idea why he was stressed, so like every mystery she had to solve, she went through all the possibilities. 

There was no big baddie at the moment and right now, they were just doing routine patrols. In fact, they rotated nights off so that everyone could have a personal life.

Thea and Laurel were doing well on patrols and always listened to Oliver and Digg when they trained. The ladies were getting better and now listened to Roy too. They realized the guys were making sure that no one got hurt while they were out.

Their relationship was in a good place. They spent every night together, they had clothes at each other's places and their toothbrushes were side by side. She smiled as she thought of that memory, who knew her vigilante had such sappy thoughts.

Unless he slept at some other time, his nightmares were few and far between. In the three months they had been together, he'd only had three. They weren't that bad and Felicity had been able to calm him before he got too agitated. 

Food wasn't an issue. He was careful of what he ate and by extension, so was she. She loved him but sometimes you just need a Big Belly burger. He would shake his head at her but she would grin and keep chewing. He didn't drink but on a special occasion, he would have a shot of his Russian vodka.

His relationship with Thea was good. They had a standing date every Tuesday, she had no idea what they did and she never asked. She and Roy would catch the latest movie or hit up a new restaurant while the siblings did their thing. 

He and Diggle were like brothers. They were each other's favorite sparring partners and Oliver would sometimes work for Digg so that he and Lyla could have some alone time. She would babysit Sara and he would come by on patrol and check on them.

Even he and Roy were good. She smiled to herself because she knew he refused to think of Roy and his baby sister doing anything. He steadfastly refused to even entertain the idea, he was kind of okay with the kissing and hugging but he rejected anything else in his mind.

It finally got the better of her one day and she was going to ask him when her phone rang. She saw him tense up and when she acknowledged it was Thea, he relaxed but his reaction bothered her.

A couple of nights later they were in the loft and her phone rang while he was in the shower. He came out to see her on it and her eyes got wide and she told the person on the other end, "Oliver's here, I'll talk to you later." As she hung up, she saw how tense he was as he walked to the bed.

"Felicity," He said quietly and she saw his hand doing his nervous tick, "if you want to leave me you can."

"What?!" She practically screamed.

"If you aren't happy, and all I really want is for you to be happy, you can leave me." He said dejectedly. 

Felicity came to her knees on the bed and crawled until she was in front of him. She didn't touch him because she knew something had brought this on, but she didn't know what.

"Oliver, what would make you think I'm unhappy?"

He was looking down at the bed and all he said was, "The phone calls."

"The phone calls?" She asked quizzically. 

He blew out a breath, "I noticed that you've been getting phone calls and you always hang up or you take the call out of earshot. If you don't want me, us anymore--"

"Oh frack! No Oliver!!" Felicity cried and hugged him tightly to her. She refused to let him go when he tried to take a step back. She looked up at him and his eyes were sad and filled with tears and she really didn't want to see him that way and never if she was the cause.

Leaning back a little, she asked, "Can I explain?" He nodded and she blew out a breath, "I need to ask permission first okay?" He looked at her puzzled until she reached out for her phone. She felt him tense under her hand but he nodded.

She hit a button and after a few seconds the other person answered, "Hey, um, Oliver thinks I'm unhappy and I want to leave him due to these phone calls." A couple of seconds of silence, "Yep, I know you didn't but this isn't going to help either of us." More silence, "Okay, I'll wait for you to get here." Felicity hung up the phone and looked at him, "It's not my secret to tell but he'll be here in a few minutes."

She didn't know it was possible for him to look more dejected but he nodded again and headed downstairs, she put on a robe and followed. They sat in silence until she heard a soft knock, which she answered letting Roy in.

Oliver looked from her to Roy and her heart broke at the look on his face. She held up a hand and motioned to Roy to walk to Oliver, "Hear him out please." She pleaded with him.

"Oliver--" Roy's voice cracked so he cleared his throat and tried again, "Oliver, this isn't the way I wanted to do this, I wanted to be more settled and in a better situation before I talked to you. Felicity's been helping me get my life in order, giving me advice about finances and apartments and bank accounts, stuff like that so that I can be a good man for Thea, good enough so that I can propose one day."

"But why the secrecy? All you would have to do is tell me what you just told me and I would have understood." Roy gave him a 'Really?' look and Oliver looked to Felicity saying, "I have a woman who I have no idea why she loves me and I know I'll never be good enough so I would've understood you Roy."

Felicity walked over and took his hand, "I never want to hear you say that again," She whispered, "you love me, protect me, and you listen to me. You love me for me and for that you'll always be good enough." He squeezed her hand as their foreheads touched and they were lost in each other until they heard Roy clear his throat.

"Guys, I didn't mean to bring up any issues, Felicity I can figure the rest out on my own and Oliver, I'm really sorry about this."

"But Roy, why the secrecy? I don't understand." Oliver asked again.

"Oliver I know that you would've helped but this is something I needed to do on my own. I wanted to come to you as a man who had his shit together before asking your permission to marry your sister not some kid from the Glades who had never had a bank book."

Oliver looked at Roy and although he would always think that no one would be good enough for Thea, he trusted Roy. "Roy, I know your history and I don't care and neither does Thea. The only thing I care about is how you treat her and I know how much you love her. But that being said, I wouldn't bring up this conversation unless you want to deal with it for the rest of your life."

Both Roy and Felicity gave him a look, "There's two sides to my baby sister. On one, she'd think it was romantic that you asked for her hand, on the other side would be the woman who's fiercely independent and thinks the whole permission thing is archaic. Like I said, I never had this conversation."

Roy nodded and apologized again for causing them any grief.

"Roy," Oliver said as he pulled Felicity in tighter to his side, "it's like I said before, and I know that you understand, no matter what your woman says and does for the rest of your lives, you'll always have that tiny voice saying you're not good enough. In my case, it's the things I had to do to survive five years. I suspect your has more to do with being from the wrong side of the tracks, so to speak."

Roy nodded again and Felicity interjected, "Coming from one of the women that you two idiots are discussing, it doesn't matter to us. You love us and we love you and that's enough." Roy opened his mouth to speak but she threw up her hand, "I understand your need to improve yourself and now you have us both helping. I'll give you a call tomorrow and we can brainstorm."

Oliver held Felicity as they watched Roy leave. She looked up at him, "Did you think I was talking to another man?"

"No," He answered, "but I honestly had no idea what to think. I knew there were no birthdays or anniversaries and the holidays are too far away for any surprises so I felt there was only one answer left."

"I can see how you got to that conclusion so if anyone else ever asks for my help, I'll let you know about it, okay? Would that help?"

"It would, thank you," He leaned down and kissed her, "you ready for bed?"

"Question is," She asked as she headed for the stairs while he locked the front door, "are you?" She wiggled her eyebrows suggestively and when it dawned on him what she meant, she took off running up the stairs. He shook his head as he followed her up and caught her just inside the bedroom door.

"I love you." He whispered as he kissed the shell of her ear.

"I love you more." She whispered back as she brought his lips to hers.


	3. Oliver does what?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Felicity runs out of tampons and has the sweetest boyfriend in the world

"Oh,frack!" Felicity mumbled as she searched through her bag.

"What's wrong?" Oliver asked as he walked into the bedroom.

"Nothing." She answered, not looking up at him. She continued digging through her bag looking for something so Oliver walked up to her, stilling her hands.

"Felicity, what are you looking for?"

"Noth--"

"And don't say nothing." He interrupted her and looked towards her bag, "it's obviously something that you need or you wouldn't be so frantic."

Felicity put her hand to her head and could feel her face blushing, "Um, really Oliver, it's nothing."

"Then why are you blushing? What is it that you need?"

She knew that he wasn't going to let this go so she moved her bag to the floor and sat on his bed, "I'm out of tampons, okay? I thought that I had put some in my bag before I left home but I didn't and I need some."

"Okay, still doesn't explain to me why you're blushing." He said as he sat down beside her.

"Probably because I didn't want to have this conversation with you ever, much less a few months into our relationship."

"Why?" He asked, slightly amused.

"Why?" She repeated, confused.

"Yes, why? It's not like I haven't had a steady girlfriend before and I'm not such an idiot that I don't know you get your period, we have been together for four months now, so why didn't you want to have this conversation with me?"

"Well, you're a guy and it's kind of personal and intimate and something I thought you might be squeamish about."

He gave a chuckle and pulled her closer, kissing the top of her head, "Yeah, I know it's personal but it's a fact of life and considering everything that we've done together, I don't really know how much more intimate we can be. I'm not squeamish about it and you shouldn't be either, now do you need me to run to the store?"

"What?!" She twisted around until she could look at him, "Really, you'd do that?"

"Of course, you need them."

"I do but you, Oliver Queen, are going to go to the store to buy tampons?"

"Yes Felicity, Oliver, your boyfriend, will go to the store and buy them if you tell me the brand."

"I love you." She said, leaning over to peck his lips.

"I love you too, now is that all you need or do I have a list."

She shook her head, told him the brand and she watched a little bit stunned that her boyfriend was leaving his loft to go get her tampons. 

He was back thirty minutes later with a very large bag, "Uh, Oliver, you didn't need to buy out the store."

"I didn't, " He stated as he placed the bag on the kitchen island, "I bought some Midol just in case and you can never have too much ice cream, right?" He asked as he headed to the freezer with the ice cream containers.

"Okay, are you aiming for boyfriend of the year? You really don't have to try that hard you know, considering you already won. I mean that thing you do with your hips, seriously, that should be considered criminal in like forty two states, not that I'm complaining, I'm not, but you really didn't have to do all of this, it's sweet that you did but you didn't have to." She trailed off as he stood smirking at her, leaning against the refrigerator door.

"I know I don't have to Felicity but you are my girlfriend and I love you so I want to." He told her as he walked towards her. He pulled her close and kissed her temple, leaning down to whisper, "And let me know when you're ready, me and my hips will make sure that you are very happy." She cocked an eyebrow at him and he squeezed her hips before walking to the living room, saying over his shoulder, "I wouldn't want to lose my position as boyfriend of the year."


	4. Oliver's in trouble or is he?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Oliver doesn't do something for Felicity and she gets frustrated.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is something I came up with after watching SA and EBR's interview about towels and Hockey Wives.
> 
> I hope you enjoy!

"Oliver Jonas Queen!" Felicity yelled from the vicinity of the bathroom.

"Yes?" He yelled back.

"Where's my towel?"

"What?"

She padded naked and wet into her living room, looking at her boyfriend watching a hockey game on tv.

"Oliver?" She asked too sweetly.

"Hmmmm?" He answered never looking her way.

"Oliv--" 

"Yeah!" Oliver yelled as his team scored a goal, "Oh my, Felicity, did you see that? That guy is fantastic, I'm so glad we got him from the Coast City team at the end of last season."

Felicity walked over in front of the television and blocked the screen, arms folded over her chest asking, "Was there something you forgot to bring me?"

"Felicity, why are you wet? And naked? And you're blocking the tv, Felicity move," He motioned with his hands as he tried looking around her, "they just tied it up."

She literally growled at him and snatched the towel he was supposed to bring her from where he dropped it on the back of the couch. She went to the bathroom and finished drying off, drying her hair and getting ready for bed. She occasionally heard a cheer or groan from the living room but she set about cleaning up the water spots she left on the floors. She threw the damp towel into the laundry basket and said good night as she walked past him into the bedroom.

Felicity was almost asleep when she felt the bed dip beside her, "I'm sorry," He whispered in her ear as he wrapped an arm around her waist and snuggled up to her back.

"M'kay." Felicity mumbled.

"Felicity?" Oliver leaned over and looked at her face and realized his girlfriend was sound asleep. This would be the first time since they had gotten together that he hadn't kissed her good night. He kissed her temple instead and didn't get much sleep that night because he felt guilty. This was something Ollie would have done and did do, this wasn't what he wanted with Felicity. Maybe she wouldn't be too mad in the morning and he could talk to her about it.

He sensed her waking up, she rolled a little away from him, stretched, and snuggled back down for a few more minutes. It was her morning routine and he knew that she wouldn't be fully awake for another five minutes or so. He just laid there watching until she blinked a few times to get the sleep from her system, "Morning," She said, voice raspy from sleep.

"Good morning, you want breakfast?" He asked.

"Maybe one of those muffins you baked since Ray and I have meetings this morning with Finance and they always bring some goodies with them." She answered as she rolled out of bed and headed towards the bathroom.

He nodded even though she couldn't see him and he walked to the kitchen as he heard the shower turn on. He started making the coffee and to be honest he was very confused. He knew that he'd been on an island for five years but he'd also lived with a mother and sister and he knew that they'd be angry if he'd done to them what he did last night. Laurel would be beyond livid so he didn't understand why he wasn't getting the silent treatment or being yelled at. 

After her shower, she walked into the kitchen and went straight for the coffee, pouring herself a cup. He watched her from his seat at the kitchen island as she picked up one of the muffins and chewed.

"So," She said after swallowing, "what are your plans for the day?" Taking another bite of muffin, she looked at him.

"Um, I don't really know. I'll call Digg and see if he wants to train, if not, I'll probably just work on my arrows."

"Okay, did you maybe want to meet for lunch? I know I'm free from 11:00 to 12:15, so we could grab something close to work."

"Yeah, that sounds good." She nodded as she finished her muffin and took her travel mug out of the sink tray, filling it with coffee.

"Felicity?" He asked quietly.

"Hmmmm?" She replied as she concentrated on not spilling the hot coffee.

"Are you mad at me?"

"Mad?"

"I know I screwed up last night with the hockey game and I don't want you to think I love that more than--"

"Oliver, I'm not mad, frustrated yes, but not mad. I was pissed last night when after working all day, I asked my boyfriend to bring me a towel and he was into his hockey game. I was pissed when I had to clean up water spots instead of going to bed. I was tired and cranky, you know how I get when I work with Ray all day, and I just wanted to sleep. However, I am not frustrated this morning because the boyfriend that caused me frustration last night is going to take me to my favorite Italian place for lunch and stock the fridge with mint chocolate chip before I get home from work tonight."

"Oh, I can definitely do all of that, so we're okay?"

"Oliver, it was a towel not nuclear secrets or where Jimmy Hoffa is buried, although that would be so much more interesting than a towel. Oh! Do you know where Hoffa is buried? I mean you do have Bratva contacts and all and they might know, but why would they tell if they haven't in all this time and it might not even be Bratva. But if it was, the person who probably did the deed is gone so they could tell without getting into trouble because hey, at this point no one but the family and conspiracy theorists care, right? So do you know or maybe I could set up some type of program that could triangulate his comings and goings--"

Oliver kissed her, stopping her rant completely. She moaned into his mouth and he deepened the kiss, finally pulling back after a few minutes.

"So," He murmured against her lips, "I don't know where Hoffa is buried but I need to take you for Italian and fill up the freezer and that will make it up to you?"

She pecked his mouth and leaned back to look in his eyes, "This time, yes," She saw the confusion in his eyes and continued, "Oliver, we are in a relationship and it's not perfect. No relationship is, there will be arguments or times when we frustrate one another but that doesn't mean that I don't love you or that you don't love me. It means that we love each other enough to trust and listen to the other person. Little things like last night was nothing. I was frustrated and tired, not angry, okay?"

He nodded and let her go, grabbing her purse and tablet off the counter as she made her way to the door, "Oh and if you want to make me really, really happy?" He cocked an eyebrow, "You can always do that thing with your tongue I like when I get home tonight." He growled and started to stalk towards her but she opened the door quickly yelling an 'I love you' and giggling all the way to her car.

He stood in the doorway and watched her leave, then walked back into the house to get his keys. He locked her apartment and headed to his Ducati, he had a reservation to make and ice cream to buy.

**Author's Note:**

> As always, let me know what you think and if you have any suggestions, let me know!


End file.
